BARCELONA — Spanish champions Barcelona collapsed in a shock 4-1 demolition at Sevilla yesterday in La Liga, with Alexis Sanchez scoring against his former side and Robert Lewandowski missing a penalty for the visitors.

The Catalans sit second in the table after their first league defeat of the campaign, two points behind bitter rivals Real Madrid following Los Blancos’ victory over Villarreal on Saturday, while Sevilla rise to sixth.

Real Betis moved fourth with a 2-1 win at Espanyol, thanks to a stoppage-time penalty save by their goalkeeper Pau Lopez, who formerly played for the Catalans.

Atletico Madrid stumbled to a 1-1 draw at Celta Vigo after having Clement Lenglet sent off in the first half and sit fifth.

Veteran Chilean winger Sanchez put Sevilla ahead from the penalty spot early on against Barca and Isaac Romero doubled the hosts’ lead after having already missed two good chances.

Marcus Rashford pulled a goal back before half-time, but Lewandowski fired wide from the spot to spurn his team’s best chance of an equaliser.

Jose Carmona and Akor Adams wrapped up Sevilla’s emphatic win in the final stages, as Hansi Flick’s side fell to an unusually heavy defeat.

“The team’s first 45 minutes were horrendous. I think we’ve not played a game as bad as that and we must be self-critical,” Barca midfielder Pedri Gonzalez told the club’s media channel.

Flick defended his team despite their loss, saying that he was pleased with their reaction in the second half.

“It’s one match and we lost it, and we have to keep going,” he said.